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SYDNEY (AFP) - - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged hundreds of thousands of young Catholics to beat back a "spiritual desert" spreading through the modern world as he closed Catholic World Youth Day in Australia. The pope celebrated an open-air mass in Sydney that organisers said drew 400,000 worshippers in the climax of a week of prayer and pop concerts during which the pontiff made a historic apology for child sex abuse by clergy. In his final mass, the pope said the worshippers' youthful energy helped reinvigorate the church and urged them to become "messengers of love" to counter...

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- For some participants at World Youth Day, the joy of welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the World Youth Day celebration July 17 was dampened by the absence of a Chaldean Catholic delegation from Iraq. Salina Hasham, a World Youth Day employee, has been working for months trying to get the 170-member Iraqi delegation to Sydney. At first, it seemed the Australian government would not issue any visas to the group, Hasham said. Then 10 visas were granted and, finally, a total of 25 visas were approved. But as of July 17, she said, "they are stuck...

Sydney, Australia (LifeNews.com) -- At the welcoming ceremony for the opening of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, the pope told tens of thousands of young people that they have a responsibility to protect human life. Pope Benedict XVI told cheering throngs of students and young adults that they need to stand up against abortion. Addressing a crowd estimated at 150,000 people, the Catholic leader said that newfound enthusiasm for protecting the environment must be match by an equal vigor to protect human life. "At the heart of the marvel of creation are you and I, the human family, 'crowned...

Dear friends, life is not governed by chance; it is not random. Your very existence has been willed by God, blessed and given a purpose (cf. Gen 1:28)! Life is not just a succession of events or experiences, helpful though many of them are. It is a search for the true, the good and the beautiful. It is to this end that we make our choices; it is for this that we exercise our freedom; it is in this – in truth, in goodness, and in beauty – that we find happiness and joy. Do not be fooled by those...

TV Schedule for World Youth Day 2008  Date ET PT GMT Program Name Description Tue 07/15/08 2:00 AM Mon 11 PM 6:00 WORLD YOUTH DAY 2008 ~ OPENING MASS WITH CARDINAL PELL (LIVE) (3 hrs) Presided over by Cardinal George Pell, this Mass formally celebrates the opening of WYD 2008. A much-anticipated feature of the Mass will be the arrival of the WYD Cross and Icon. Tue 07/15/08 12 PM 9 AM 16:00 Encore Tue 07/15/08 9 PM 6 PM 1:00 Encore Wed 07/16/08 12 AM Tues 9 PM 4:00 Encore           Thu 07/17/08 12:30...

Sydney's Polish-Catholic community World Youth Day coordinator, 24-year-old Basia Slusarczyk, explained to ZENIT that her non-Catholic boyfriend is participating in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. His conversion was triggered by the experience of praying with her for the fruits of World Youth Day. "He is attending World Youth Day with me and I hope the week of events and the solidarity with so many Catholics from around the world will make him proud to be joining the Catholic family," Basia said. She was with a group of young Polish-Australians dressed in traditional Polish dancing uniforms at the veneration...

More than 30 Indian youths have disappeared in New Zealand, where they were in transit to go to Sydney for World Youth Day, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Church said Monday. Lyndsay Freear told Radio New Zealand that a party of 220 Indian Catholics who arrived in Auckland a week ago were due to fly to Sydney Tuesday, but 32 of them had disappeared. All were billeted with church members in Auckland under a so-called Days in the Diocese programme before going to Australia, where Pope Benedict arrived Sunday for events associated with World Youth Day. Freear said all the...

Washington, DC (24 June 2008) – When Catholic youth around the world converge in Sydney, Australia for World Youth Day, they will be handed condoms in an attempt to protest the Pope’s unwavering opposition to abortion, contraception and homosexuality. The NoToPope Coalition, a group of abortion, homosexual and atheist activists, including Raelians and the Socialist Alliance, will reportedly number between 1,000 and 5,000 protestors. They plan to distribute condoms to pilgrims en route to the Papal Mass at Randwick Racecourse July 20. “It’s getting easier and easier to identify good and evil,” said Judie Brown, president of American Life League....

SYDNEY, Australia, July 30, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - World Youth Day '08 organizers have said that they will not co-operate with any efforts to disseminate safe-sex information that contradicts Church teachings on extra-marital sexual relations and contraception to WYD participants, reports the Sydney Morning Herald today. The Herald is reporting the organizers' stance as a "row" over the safe-sex message, though in the article it is unclear with whom the organizers are having the "row." According to the Herald the New South Wales Health Minister is preparing a fact sheet for the event, though a spokesman for the Minister did not...

The Revolution of God, the first book produced by Pope Benedict XVI since his election to the papacy, was released by the Vatican on October 11. The 130-page book contains all of the speeches that the Holy Father delivered during World Youth Day celebrations in Cologne, Germany, from August 18 to 21. It also includes the text of his remarks at a general audience on August 24, after his return, commenting on the trip. The Italian-language edition was produced jointly by the Vatican publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, and St. Paul Editions. Separate editions, in appropriate translations, will be available...

DUESSELDORF, Germany – While hundreds of thousands of young Roman Catholics sing and dance their way through World Youth Day festivities, some start each morning in silent prayer attending the rarely celebrated old Latin Mass. It was standing room only in the large Saint Antonius church in Duesseldorf, one of several venues for the Catholic youth jamboree centred in nearby Cologne, as over 300 young believers gathered on Wednesday morning for Mass in the ancient language. The traditional liturgy, almost forgotten since the Church switched to vernacular tongues for its services, is full of reverent rituals and ornate vestments which...

Steubenville, Aug. 25, 2005 (CNA) - Mike Kent grew up Catholic in Florida. He attended the University of Central Florida for a year and played football. Then he went to World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto."I had an empty feeling in my heart, and I thought it would be filled by partying and things like that," he told NBC's Today show Monday. "It was when I went to World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada, in 2002, and I met the Lord."The young man's encounter with Jesus was so strong that he withdrew from UCF, left for Rome to learn more...

The Message Does Count World Youth Day was never just about Pope John Paul II. By Colleen Carroll Campbell The conventional wisdom of secular journalists has long held that World Youth Day is a "Catholic Woodstock" born under Pope John Paul II and sustained by his personal charisma. The millions of young Catholics who have flocked to this global faith celebration for more than two decades like to party together and loved their late pope. But his defense of orthodox theology and traditional morality was never part of the appeal. That explanation — that World Youth Day gatherings were successful...

During his homily for the closing Mass of World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the youth to pursue a pure and full faith, which does not pick and choose among doctrines. He continued on that theme in remarks to the German Bishops before returning to Rome. "If it is pushed too far, religion becomes almost a consumer product," said the Pope to over a million pilgrims in attendance at the three-hour Mass culminating World Youth Day. People choose what they like . . . But religion constructed on a 'do-it-yourself' basis cannot ultimately help us. It may be comfortable,...

DUSSELDORF, August 22, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in Mel Gibson's blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ," presented the film to thousands of youth delegates at World Youth Day in Germany. The screening, which also included prayer and sharing was held at UTL Arena, an outdoor stadium in Dusseldorf, one of the three German cities hosting World Youth Day. The event was sponsored by Holy Cross Family Ministries (HCFM), Easton, Massachusetts. Kerri Caviezel, Jim's wife, gave a short testimony and introduced her husband. Jim Caviezel, a committed Catholic, addressed the youth and introduced "The Passion of the...

A free festival of faithImagine Woodstock, but with Catholic teenagers instead of rock fans.    That's what it was like Saturday, when thousands of international pilgrims gathered in a field in Marienfeld, a former coal mine on the outskirts of Cologne to listen to a message from their new pope, sleep under the stars, and for some, dance and sing throughout the night. The story • World Youth Day gallery: Previous Friday, August 19 Pope's arrival a 'beautiful moment'For two days, the murky Rhine River has been something Catholic pilgrims to this city rode over to get somewhere else: the...

by Kishore Jayabalan Other Articles by Kishore Jayabalan Benedict and World Youth Day: Becoming Adults in Christ 08/20/05 Pope Benedict XVI is back in the international media spotlight this week, gracing the covers of Time and Newsweek, as he makes his first trip outside of Italy, to Cologne, Germany for the 20th World Youth Day. That a Catholic youth gathering is now a global event worthy of such attention is a testament to Pope John Paul II; now the trip is presented as a sort of “test” for Benedict. In This Article...Absolute RelativistsA Heritage with ObligationsWhat Endures? Absolute Relativists World Youth...

COLOGNE, Germany -- They slept in a dew-soaked field, packed head-to-toe, and awoke Sunday under heavy gray skies to hear Pope Benedict XVI urge his youthful followers to live a life of faith and to work to spread it. An estimated 1 million pilgrims from every corner of the planet attended Benedict's open-air Mass, culminating a weeklong World Youth Day and the new pontiff's international debut. Freedom granted by God "is not simply about enjoying life in total autonomy, but rather about living by the measure of truth and goodness, so that we ourselves can become true and good," he...

COLOGNE, Germany -- Pope Benedict XVI brought his first foreign trip as pope to a joyful conclusion yesterday, telling more than a million mainly youthful and exuberant followers at an outdoor Mass that they should not pick and choose at their faith. "If it is pushed too far, religion becomes almost a consumer product," he said. "People choose what they like, and some are even able to make a profit from it. "But religion constructed on a 'do-it-yourself' basis cannot ultimately help us. It may be comfortable, but at times of crisis we are left to ourselves." For a chance...

WINNING the right to host the 2008 World Youth Day is a massive compliment to Australia and a demonstration of how the world sees the country, Prime Minister John Howard said. German-born Pope Benedict announced yesterday in Germany he would make his first visit to Sydney in July 2008 for the conference of young Catholics, which is expected to draw 250,000 people, including 80,000 overseas visitors. Mr Howard told Macquarie Radio that Australians would welcome the pontiff and the conference would be a huge boost to the economy. "It's a massive compliment to this country," he said. "In 2007, Sydney...

Pope Benedict XVI, during the closing Mass for World Youth Day in Cologne, announced that Sydney, Australia will be hosting World Youth Day in 2008. He made the announcement in the English language.

"May Christ be everything for you," Pope tells seminarians Cologne, Aug. 19, 2005 (CNA) - In a special meeting today with more than 500 seminarians at World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, Pope Benedict XVI said the seminary years are a time of preparing for mission and a “springtime” in the life of a follower of Christ.Pope Benedict wished to celebrate the vespers of this Friday, talking to the seminarians, addressing the mystery of vocations in the church, and giving them a special message on their mission. Amid a colorful and joyful audience, and after listening to various testimonies, the...

p>Cologne (AsiaNews) – We reproduce in full the text of the pope’s homily to the youth during the vigil in the esplanade of Marienfeld (Cologne): [in German]Dear young friends,In our pilgrimage with the mysterious Magi from the East, we have arrived at the moment which Saint Matthew describes in his Gospel with these words: "Going into the house (over which the star had halted), they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him" (Mt 2:11). Outwardly, their journey was now over. They had reached their goal. But at this point a new journey began...

DUSSELDORF, Germany -- Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in Mel Gibson's blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ," presented the film yesterday to 25,000 youth delegates at 2005 World Youth Day. He also addressed the youth and led them in a decade of the rosary. The event was held at the UTL Arena, an outdoor stadium in Dusseldorf, one of the three German cities hosting World Youth Day activities, last Tuesday through tomorrow. . The others are Cologne and Bonn. The activity was sponsored by Holy Cross Family Ministries of Easton, Mass., which is composed of ministries furthering the mission of...

Pope Benedict XVI, rigt, talks to German President Horst Koehler, left, in Koehler's presedential residence in Bonn, western Germany, Friday, Aug. 19, 2005. Pope Benedict XVI on Friday became the second Pope to visit a synagogue, stopping to pray and remember Holocaust victims with Cologne's Jewish community. (AP Photo/Jochen Luebke, pool) Pope Benedict enters a Cologne synagogue together with an unidentified member of the Cologne Jewish community in Germany August 19, 2005. Pope Benedict on Friday entered the Cologne synagogue, that was destroyed by the Nazis during the anti-Jewish Crystal Night riots in 1938 and rebuilt in 1959, becoming only...

Carival in Cologne WYD / Karneval in Kölle WJT Hi WorldYouthDayer! tomorrow evening (Sat, 19th August) there will be a wonderful canrnival celebration in a Pub in Cologne. All participants (hope not everybody will come ;-))of the World Youth Day are kindly invetited to expierience Cologne at it's best side and celebrate Carnival. Adress: Effi Nußbaumerstr. 86 50825 Köln Hallo Weltjugendtagler! Morgen Nacht (Samstag 19.August) steigt in der Gaststätte Effi in Köln Ehrenfeld das große Bergfest. Genau in der Mitte zwischen der Sessionen feieren wir "Karneval in Köln" Wer Lust hat Köln von seiner herzlichsten und fröhlichsten Seite zu erleben...

Thought you freepers may enjoy these. Virtual Pilgrimage to World Youth Day http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/aug/05081509.html World Youth Day Virtual Pilgrimage Chapter 2 - Youth Filling Europe's Empty Churches http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/aug/05081701.html World Youth Day Virtual Pilgrimage Chapter 3 - Germany Restored With Arrival of Native Pope http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/aug/05081807.html In Synagogue Pope Calls Jews and Christians to Work Together to Defend Life and Family http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/aug/05081901.html

Pope faces condom protest on visit to Germany By Ruth Gledhill for Times Online The new Pope embarked on the toughest test of his papacy to date when he arrived in his native German this morning to greet a crowd of more than 400,000 young Catholics gathered to celebrate World Youth Day. The event, which became one of the biggest showcases of his charismatic predecessor's reign, has already been the focus of lobbying by the some of the Church's most committed youth on issues such as the Vatican's opposition to condom use to prevent the spread of Aids. Pro-condom posters...

A woman dressed as a bishop leads an anti-religion demonstration in Cologne August 19, 2005. Pope Benedict arrived in his German homeland on Thursday on the first international trip of his pontificate, a visit to the World Youth Day attended by hundreds of thousands of young Catholics. After the jubilant reception he received from 400,000 young Catholics Benedict's agenda centred on the closed-door talks at the presidential villa in nearby Bonn and the religious meetings in Cologne. REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski Demonstrators dressed as a priest and a nun kiss in front of a large model dinosaur during an anti-religion demonstration in...

I was reading this account of the Pope's trip along the river today, even the repairing of the cross and it struck me how literally the Prophecy of St. John Bosco alluded to in this blog earlier is being fulfilled. An icon of Mary was right beside the cross next to the Pope on the boat and as soon as the boat landed the Pope made his way to the Blessed Sacrament at the conclusion of the trip. Remarkable! As you may recall the original prophecy refers to two popes...the first most definitely was John Paul II and of...

POPE Benedict XVI was no more than a white speck to most of the tens of thousands of young Catholics who lined the banks of the Rhine today, but most went away happy. "I will never forget this day, it was an awesome experience. He seemed so full of joy as he waved to us," said Colleen Ackerman, 25, from Cape Town. For Colleen and most of the crowd, it was their first view of a pope in the flesh and the man greeting them from the upper deck of the river cruiser did not disappoint. "We feel blessed that...

"Let Yourselves Be Surprised by Christ!" COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 18, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the message Benedict XVI addressed from a ship on the Rhine River this afternoon to young people gathered in Cologne. * * * [In German] Dear Young People, I am delighted to meet you here in Cologne on the banks of the Rhine! You have come from various parts of Germany, Europe and the rest of the world as pilgrims in the footsteps of the Magi. Following their route, you too want to find Jesus. Like them, you have begun this journey in...

COLOGNE, Germany (CNS) -- Hundreds of thousands of young people gave Pope Benedict XVI a rousing welcome on the banks of the Rhine River, cheering as he urged them to discover the "liberating experience of the church." The pope used his first World Youth Day encounter Aug. 18 to cast a wide spiritual invitation, asking youths -- whether baptized or unbaptized, practicing or nonpracticing -- to open their hearts to God. "Let yourselves be surprised by Christ. Let him have the 'right of free speech' during these days," the pope said. An estimated 300,000 youths lined the riverbanks, some standing...

EWTN will provide LIVE coverage of this historic event. The Eternal Word Television Network is available through most cable and dish network providers. Check your local listing for appropriate channel. Specials schedule is subject to change without notice. POPE BENEDICT XVI VISIT TO THE SYNAGOGUE, COLOGNE, GERMANY(60:00) LIVE Friday  August 19, 6:00 AM

The plane carrying Pope Benedict XVI flies over the Vatican flag before touch-down at the Cologne-Bonn airport August 18, 2004. Pope Benedict arrived in his German homeland on Thursday on the first international trip of his pontificate, a visit to the World Youth Day attended by hundreds of thousands of young Catholics. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay Pope Benedict XVI looks out of the plane's window as he arrives at the Cologne-Bonn airport August 18, 2005. Pope Benedict arrived in his German homeland on Thursday on the first international trip of his pontificate, a visit to the World Youth Day attended by hundreds...

Cologne, Germany - Luke Strand walked toward this city's historic cathedral on Wednesday, quietly reciting the rosary. Distractions squeezed by the 24-year-old Milwaukee man. Exuberant Italian young people, arms linked together, pushed past. Nearby, a large group of Chileans chanted in Spanish. Strand, who is studying to become a priest, smiled at the scene. "I'm tired and exhausted, but this is the beauty of it. We're on a pilgrimage," he said. Strand had traveled to World Youth Day in Cologne - not for solitude, but for solidarity. About 325,000 young Catholics from nearly 200 countries have already arrived for the...

Cologne, Aug. 17 (CWNews.com/LifeSiteNews.com) - The 20th World Youth Day (WYD) celebrations, which Pope Benedict XVI will join on Thursday, August 18, already involve 405,000 registered participants. Organizers expect 800,000 or more to attend the final weekend sessions on August 20 and 21 at Marienfeld, outside Cologne.At the time of the opening ceremonies, 193 different countries were represented at WYD: a record for the event. "The entire world has arrived in Germany," observed Bishop Franz-Josef Bode, who heads youth ministry for the nation's Episcopal conference.   There were 120,000 young people on hand before the opening ceremonies, to participate in...

The small group I'm in is led by the Jesuit campus minister from Marquette, and this priest is everything that everyone on FR would want him to be! A Jesuit in the mold of Fr. Mitch Pacwa. In fact, we have five Jesuits (maybe six--i'm still trying to get familiar with the group) and some Jesuit seminarians. All are very good men, and I don't think our Holy Father could ask for better priests. Fr. Will, our leader who is the Marquetter campus minister, gave a beautiful homily yesterday for the feast of the Assumption. He has a great devotion...

Cologne, Aug. 16, 2005 (CNA) - World Youth Day (WYD) 2005 has recorded the highest number of registrations in WYD history. As of yesterday, 405,000 young Catholics from almost 170 countries have registered for the event.  Organizers were expecting 400,000 pilgrims, and some 800,000 are expected for the final Mass.Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, announced the latest statistics at a press conference today. There was a surge in registrations in the last week, said the cardinal. At press time, organizers reported that 105,000 German youth had registered, including the volunteers, making them the largest group represented at WYD 2005.The...

Tens of thousands of young people descended on Cologne in Germany today to kick off the 20th World Youth Day celebrations that will include German-born Pope Benedict XVI’s first foreign trip. German leaders of the Roman Catholic Church were to hold opening masses in the western cities of Cologne, Bonn and Duesseldorf. Later today, music, dance and theatre festivals were planned for the young pilgrims from around the world. Organisers said some 400,000 people had registered to attend the events. Benedict was to join the festival on Thursday and close the event with a huge open-air mass outside Cologne on...

This is hilarious.

As homecomings go, the Pope's first foreign trip since he became leader of the world's one billion Roman Catholics will be bitter sweet. About 500,000 young people will next week welcome Pope Benedict to the World Youth Day celebrations in Germany, a display of religious faith testifying to his Church's vigour.But his return to the land of his birth will also be a confrontation between an austere enforcer of doctrinal orthodoxy and a country that embodies the secular, Godless culture he rails against.According to his spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the four days the Pope will spend in Germany are a "very...

Cologne, Germany, Aug. 13 (CNA/CWNews.com) - In an in interview on the preparations for World Youth Day, the hosting archbishop, Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne, said the event is a gathering for young people, not for "the people of yesterday" such as dissident theologians Eugen Drewermann or Hans Kung. In an interview granted to the Bonn newspaper General-Anzeiger , Cardinal Meisner noted that Hans Kung and Eugen Drewermann are not welcome at the event. "The entire event is oriented to be an encounter for young people and not for 'seniors'," he said. "There is nothing for them (Kung and Drewermann)...

Castel Gandolfo (AsiaNews) – On the eve of his trip to Cologne to take part in World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI expresses his hopes about his upcoming meeting with youths in Cologne (“I would like to show them it’s beautiful to be Christians”). In his first interview given to E. von Gemmingen, the head of the German section of Vatican Radio, he tackles a range of issues, above all that of the “youthfulness” of the church: a youthfulness which he attributes to the “enthusiasm” of youths but also to the “wisdom” of a holistic faith proposal, streams of water...

Monday, August 15th: On on a boat on the Rhine -- the very boat that B16 will be taking to arrive in Koeln this week. St. Goarshausen was a beautiful and charming town. Very, very little English was spoken here. I met up with some of the Magis group when I got on the local train in Frankfurt that goes to St. Goarschausen. I would have never made the train at all if it weren't for the kindness of a German lady who, much like the kind Italian lady, helped me without even being asked. As I mentioned, I was...

FRIDAY EVENING, Aug. 12 and SATURDAY, Aug. 13th: I don't even know where to beginning. I don't think I'd believe it myself if I hadn't experienced it. I now understand how Mussolini could rise to power in this country. The trains are nothing short of a banana republic nightmare. If it weren't for everyone speaking Italian, I would've though I was in Cairo. This is what that young Roman was trying to tell me yesterday when he lamented the utter absurdity and chaos of their rail and transportation system. And finally, the train itself looks like it was built when...

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12th (from Roma): It's a beautiful day today. I spent about an hour at Termini. The trains do not move on time here! Public service is pretty much a nightmare. But the time went by quickly because I chatted with a charming Roman my age and we discussed politics. He works for an international consulting firm that specializes in urban planning. Boy did he have great things to say about why he loved visiting the USA. He stayed in LA (LA--the worst of the USA) and loved the low crime rate, the services, and free market. I'll have...

From Thursday, August 11th: So finally, I had a meal today.. And I'm not within yards of any "famous site". NYer's advice to avoid eating near any famous sites had me chuckling yesterday. It's all relative. You can't walk a few meters in this city without hitting an historic ruin or a major work of art? ,P. I've heard it said before that Europe is America's museum. Of course, this was intended as a bit of an insult to the "Euro-weenies" (not saying they are all weenies, just explaining the quote's context)-- but there is some truth to this. Rome...

I'd like to back track for a moment to discuss the whole process of getting to the Vatican for the audience and some of the unique moments that you don't necessarily read about in books. As you'll recall, I arrived in Rome late on Tuesday (more on that story later -- I promise it's worth the wait). I didn't sleep well that night, never do when I'm in a strange place for the first time. I booked my "ticket" for the papal audience through Expedia.com when I bought my ticket. Expedia basically acted as a go-between for a day tour...

Rome is the first leg of a pilgrimage of 10 Catholic youths coming from Cambodia; they will reach Cologne on 16 August with high hopes of “finally feeling part of the universal Church”. Rome (AsiaNews) – Feeling part of the universal Church through an exchange of faith and culture with youths from all over the world who witness to Christ, as well as praying for those who – like Italian young people – appear to have forgotten their faith. Such are the expectations of 10 Cambodian youths traveling to Cologne in a pilgrimage via Rome, Assisi and Milan. The...